


Drowning Lessons

by runaway_killjoy



Category: All Time Low, Black Veil Brides, My Chemical Romance, Panic! at the Disco, Pierce the Veil, Sleeping With Sirens
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-17
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-17 19:38:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2320988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/runaway_killjoy/pseuds/runaway_killjoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What's normal anyway?<br/>Frank Iero thought he was different just because he has "special powers" but brought to the treatment center he realizes he is unique, just like everyone else. They struggle to become normal and Frank has to realize some people aren't born to be average...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're not in this alone

The light sparkles and contorts over the water’s surface. I can see each ripple as it glides through the water. I lean my head back against the tile and stare up at the water. It’s been almost a year now and the feeling of _fucking hell I’m breathing under water_ still hasn’t worn off. It’s honestly just gotten easier and easier. No headaches at all anymore. No mild hypothermia and no chlorine poisoning. Just a lot of time spent in pools and lakes and baths.

     Unfortunately being able to breath underwater does not make me a better swimmer I’m too small or something and apparently being able to complete a race on one breath is so abnormal and disturbing that on my first gala I lost and was brought to the hospital. I don’t know why I even know why I wanted to be a swimmer, I guess everyone just wants to be good at something.

     Someone swims directly over me and seeing me let all the air out of their lungs and splashed away in fright. I pushed myself to the surface and pretended to be gasping for breath even though I was perfectly fine.

     “Fuck man, how long were you down there?” the swimmer gasped treading water a meter or so away.

     “Not that long!” I panic, I hadn’t noticed the dude get in. “I’m trying to, uh, stay under for as long as I can… Training for um scuba diving…”  

     The guy looks like he’s thinking about it, trying to believe that I am a scuba diver or something. Suddenly his face drops, interest lost he grunts and swims away. I think this would be a good time to leave.

     I face up in the shower and let the water surround me, fill my lungs and swim out again. I don’t know how it works, I don’t have gills I just breathe like others do, in and out of my nose and mouth. The water flows in and out of my lungs like air and it doesn’t feel any different. Honestly all I know is I can do this and other people can’t so I shouldn’t say anything.

     When I walk in to the dressing room there are a few other guys there getting ready for a swim. “Hey Frank,” a man called Paul says. The others I don’t know but are huddled together in the corner. They keep looking over at me and whispering as I dress which makes me really uncomfortable. I can’t really hear what they’re saying but I got _he’s short enough_ and _he was called Frank._ Panic and paranoia swept over me.

     Dressed at an abnormal speed I run down the dark hallway and into the small car park. No one was behind me and I begin to think it’s all in my head. Whatever, I get into the car.

     The drive back to my apartment is short and slow. It’s all inner city roads and red lights. My apartment is dark and cold and small. I sit by the tiny kitchen window and smoke, staring at the traffic bellow. I want a drink but I have work tomorrow.

     I go to bed quietly. I don’t know what else to say about my life except that it looks to be normal other than the odd amount of time I spend in the pool.

 

Work the next day is average. I use the ancient fax machine in the back office for half the day and then eat at my desk next to Lizzy who writes her name as Lzzy when she’s not at work. My side of the office is known as “the punk side” because of mw, Lzzy and a man called Jack Barakat who just acts really unprofessional all the time.

     Jack flicks a note onto my desk. _Have you seen Alex recently?_ Alex was my old flatmate and Jack’s boyfriend. I haven’t spoken to him in, like, months.

     “Nope, why?” I ask, I don’t feel like searching for paper without something important on it.

     “I haven’t spoken to him in days…” He looks worried, “I mean he won’t answer my calls or texts… He won’t answer the door..”

     Lzzy snorts with laughter on my other side, “Jack, you sound like a teenage girl.”

     Jacks face stiffens and he turns away murmuring, “twelve days is a fucking long time.”

 

I went straight to the pool after work, brushing off offers to go out for drinks. I feel stressed as fuck after a week of work and I think that drinking heavily with co-workers would not help at all. Besides, an hour underwater always clears my head.

     I’m the only one in the pool at half six on a Friday night. I lie meters beneath the surface staring straight up at the dodgy lights above as they get warped through the water. I only get out when my skin feels horrible and old. In the dressing room is the group of men from yesterday.

     “Frank Iero?” one at the front says. When I nod two in the background exchange money. “You’re coming with us now.”

     “No I’m not, who even are you?” I protest, an odd feeling washing over me.

     “We are here to take you now,” one says and that’s the last thing I can recall.

 

I am surrounded by water when I finally regain consciousness. The room outside the giant… tank, is dark and large, only dimly lit by diodes and numbers on machines. I swim towards the tank and press on it. Lights come on all over the room. After less than a minute a tall man about five years older than me walks in.

     He stands right in front of me smiling. I feel exposed, probably because I’m half naked in a tank. The man presses a panel on the glass and the tank begins to empty.

     When all the water is gone the guy presses another panel and a pane of glass slides away.

     “Hey Frank. My name is The Captain. I don’t want to hurt you or anything but if you come with me now, answer some questions and co-operate I’ll let you know why you’re here.”

 

The Captain gave me a black pair of pants and a black t-shirt. He apologised for making me wear a uniform but it’s okay because I wear this kind of clothes anyway. He leads me down a long, dark, brick hallway and into a room with one wall of glass panels and the other three of computer screens and diodes and binary code. A bunch of people all in white with clipboards are scattered about, some looking through the glass and scribbling, others looking at the screens and scribbling. The Captain gestures me towards the glass. Looking down all you can see is a metal table with a man lying on it in the centre of a large room. He has shaggy black hair and wires are connecting him to some machine under this room.

     “This is Gerard Way, he has powers too,” The Captain says tapping the glass with a pen. “Gerard can steal your memories. Very interesting, actually. Not only do you no longer have those memories but they become his, he can look back on your childhood as fondly as you. More in fact because you can’t anymore. He is one of the most powerful people here therefore but also one of the most disturbed.” He turns away from the glass and gestures me across the hallway.

      The next room is the mirror image of the last. Same amount of people just standing about writing things. I walk over to the glass and the Captain stands next to me. “This here is Jaime” The Captain says. A man stands in the middle of a blazing inferno, playing. He is lifting flames into the air and putting them out. He seems to have had wires attached to him but they’re all singed off. “He can control fire. We’re not really sure how or why but as of yet he can’t seem to create fire just move it and put it out. The government tried to use him as a human military weapon when we took him. See we don’t want these people to be under the governments control in case they become equally as corrupt. Powers like Jaime’s are as dangerous to himself as to those around him. Here we plan to rescue Jaime by taking his powers away. Same with Gerard, their powers are putting them at risk.”

     The Captain turns away and I follow him away into the hall. We start walking past other doors where I’m sure there are other people with powers like me, being taken away.

     “We are here, Frank, to save you. The government was aware of you and your powers. They were planning to exterminate you. We don’t want that to happen so I’m just going to remove your powers and send you back to your normal life,” The Captain stops walking and faces me. He’s grinning like he’s saying something good. He’s telling me he’s going to take away the only thing that makes me special.

     “And what if I refuse,” I say testily staring up at the Captain.

     His face drops, “That would not be advisable. Do you want to die? This is a matter as serious as that… no vanities.”

     I glare up at him. I’m just about to argue when a woman comes running up the corridor. “He’s resisting!” she shouts and the Captain is already turning down that direction.

     “Who?” he demands as he meets her, taking the clipboard.

     “Andy. He’s fried the lab and is threatening to blow all our circuits,” she says but the last few words are spoken to his shadow.

     “Take Mr. Iero to his room,” he says before slamming the door at the far end of the hall.

     The woman is short, only a few inches taller than me, and very thin. Without saying a word to me she walks back in the direction of my water tank. We pass that room and walk through a pair of heavy wooden double doors. From there we take a maze of halls and stairs until we push through a set of double doors and into stark sunlight. There’s a gravel path that splits three ways. One goes down to, as far as I can see, a beach. Straight ahead is a brick building, similar to the one I just left. On the other side the path flows up into a huge stand of trees.

     The woman shoves me forward because I’d stopped to stare up at the trees. We walk up several flights of stairs and down a single hall. Much less complicated than its equivalent I just came out of. “This is your room Mister Iero,” The woman says unlocking the door, “it’s been fitted out already just for you.”

     I step in and she slams the door behind me. I hear it lock and she runs away back down the hall. My room looks like a cross between an asylum and a college dorm. There’s a small barred window looking out over the sea. There are two beds, one made and one that looks like someone just got out of it. There’s clothes all over the grey concrete floor on one side, all of which are black. There is a bedside locker by each bed and drawers between them. The walls are brick and there is a naked bulb.

     I sit down on the made bed and stare out through the bars. What I would give to be swimming now and not sitting in an asylum like building. The whole place reminds me of the movie shutter island.

     After what feels like a fucking long time the do`or opens. A figure dressed in black with brown hair slumps over to his bed and lies down.

     “Alex?” I say.

     The figure on the bed sits up and looks over at me through his bangs, “Frank Iero, is that you?”

     “Yea man. What… How… Jack is worried about you,” is all I manage to say.

     Alex looks out the window and his eyes glisten, “Yea I know. I can see him at my front door now.”

     I glance over and Alex looks so… heart broken. “They took me here because apparently my power is a danger to myself, I can see far away not like go on fire or something.”

     “I can breathe underwater,” I say because it feels like the time to say it.

     Alex looks over at me, “that’s pretty awesome dude! I never thought of you as a swimmer.”

     “Me neither to be honest. Hey, uh, how do these things work?” I ask nervously. I want to know specifically if it’ll hurt because Alex looks rather in pain.

     “First they’ll do scans and shit y’know. See what part of you is different so they can target it. Then they’ll get you to reverse it so that it grows out of you and into the machine. That’s what they said anyway,” Alex rubs his face.

     “Does it work?”

     “I used to be able to see right into a galaxy next to ours…”

     “And now?”

     “I can’t really focus on the moon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from the song Skylines and Turnstiles (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	2. The middle of the day that starts it all

Sometime later a man calls to the door to collect us for food. Alex and I sit side by side at the top of a long table. Slowly men begin to hobble in in pairs. Across from me sits a happy looking guy with brown hair and a massive forehead. “Hi!” he chirps to me and extends his hand. “My name’s Brendon! I control the weather!”

     I look up at him nodding. The whole greet and tell your greatest secret thing is still striking me as odd. “Uh, hi. My name is Frank… I can breathe underwater…”

     “That’s pretty cool,” the guy beside Brendon says. “I’m Ryan,” he shuffles his chair forward. “See that cat on your lap?”

     I look down and sure enough there’s a cat on my lap. I shoo it off and try to push it away when it disappears. I look back up at Ryan. “I put that there,” he smiles innocently, “I can make you see things.”

     My eyebrows shoot upwards. “Wow,” I murmur, “that was fucking realistic.”

     “That’s the point,” he grins.

     Four guys enter from the same door as I did. They take the remaining few spaces beside me and diagonally. Beside Brendon sits the man I saw on the operating table. His face looks drawn and pale yet really handsome. I hadn’t realised from the glass room how just kinda hot he is. His hair is dyed black with brown roots growing through.

     He looks up through his bangs and catches my eye. “You’re new here.”

     “Yep,” I say not quite sure if I should say anything else.

     “Gee, don’t,” the guy beside him says in a high voice.

     “Calm it Vic I was hardly going to, it was just a thought,” he rolls his eyes and looks back down at his plate.

     “He’s confused,” Vic states looking at me, “and no I can’t just tell by your expression. I can see everything you think. I’m not showing off Kellin, just saying.”

     A group of people in white start bringing in dishes of boring looking food. Everything has been steamed or boiled. Yay.

     A woman leans over the table beside Alex to look at me. “Hey boy,” she purrs. She’s the first woman I’ve seen here in black.

     Alex shoulders her, “not the time Ash.” And then I see the most disturbing thing, the girl became a guy. I look over at Ryan to see if he was making me see this. “Ashley can change gender,” he says through a mouthful of steamed peas.

     Ashley, now a feminine dude just smiles innocently at me. “okay…” I say and start filling my plate.

     The atmosphere here is very odd. There’s vague comradery between all those around the table. Every now and again you’d here “Bob fuck off, leave it,” or “Vic get out of my head.” The thing that makes me uncomfortable is all the people in white lining the walls, the ratio about two to one and they had batons and thing that looked like a wire wrapped tightly around a stick. They stared at us as we ate and made me feel uncomfortable.

     “You gonna eat that?” Gerard asked drawing my attention to a slice of meat on my plate.

     I was going to eat it but I needed more friends than not. “No here,” I shove my plate towards him.

     “Don’t worry, we won’t exclude you here,” Vic smiles over at me and winks. I remind myself not to think around him.

     After all the food has disappeared we’re shoved off in another direction. I look to Alex to explain but he shakes his head. We’re led into a room with a large barred window looking over the ocean. There’s a load of couches and a chess board but elsewise the room is bare. There’s a pair of guitars in the corner that look like they have never been played.

     “They haven’t,” Vic says flopping down on a couch nearest to him. The white clothed people leave the room and we hear the door lock.

     “We’re left to… socialise for like an hour every evening. It’s sort of lame but for once we’re not surrounded by the captain’s staff,” Vic says and then turns to criticise someone for what they were thinking. I end up sitting with Alex opposite Gerard and a guy with huge hair.

     “I’m not doing it Gee. Seriously this is getting ridiculous,” big hair guy says looking concerned.

     “Please,” Gerard whimpers.

     “No. It’s too like doing drugs Gee, I don’t want you to get addicted to it.”

     Alex walks over to the window and sighs, his eyes glazing over. He’s probably looking across the water at Jack. Gerard tucks his knees into his chest and lies his head back against the couch. The big haired dude looks over to me, “Hi I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Ray! I can make you release a store of endorphins you have, so you’re like high.” He smiles widely.

     “Hi. That’s pretty cool, can people overdose on your power?” I ask before I even think about it.

     He smiles and sits up ready to talk. “Well I don’t know, see I don’t want to kill people but I think I can. I mean when I catch people off guard with it, it confuses them and they don’t know what they’re saying or thinking or doing anymore.” He grins. “Want a go?”

     Gerard sits up and groans, “you’ll do it to him but not to me?”

     “He’s never done it before so no matter how light I do it it’ll make him happy,” Ray smiles. Gerard sighs and curls back into a ball.

     “I’d love to try,” I say and suddenly everything fuzzes around me. I see Ray’s smile spin off his face and as creepy as that should be it wasn’t. For what felt like half a minute my brain feels soft and everything feels awesome.

     Slowly I’m brought back into the grey reality. “Holy fuck that was insane!”

    Ray smiles. “Thanks, I can make it a lot more extreme and last a lot longer but maybe it’s not the best idea.” He actually looks kind of tired after it.

     It might be Ray’s fault, but I suddenly feel a lot more confident. I walk over to the guitars and turn down the volume greatly. Then I just start playing. The room slowly goes silent and smiling faces turn around to look at me. Still confident I start playing a riff I knew from the smashing pumpkins. People continue speaking but quieter, nodding along to the guitar. From the edge of my mind I hear a voice silently singing along. I look over and Gerard is singing along under his breath. We meet eyes and he starts singing louder. Everyone goes silent again as Gerard starts singing properly, loud and vigorous. By the end of the song everyone is smiling over at us. Gerard had joined me and was leaning against the wall singing _a bullet with butterfly wings_ perfectly.

 

That night Alex and I are lying on our beds staring at the ceiling. We’re pretty quiet since we got back from socialising.

     “I miss Jack,” Alex says after a bit. “I’d never told him about the powers y’know. I was too scared at first and I thought it was too late…” His voice trails off.

     “I didn’t tell anyone either,” I say, “No one to tell…”

     After a long pause Alex speaks again. “We used to go out and look at the stars. He’d point out some and I’d zoom in on them and see them and it’d be so awesome because I love space… The one time I borrowed this telescope and could zoom in more than I ever thought possible and saw this planet and it looked like there was trees and a river but I couldn’t be sure and I babbled on about it for ages to Jack and he just listened…”

     At some point I fell asleep. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t while Alex was talking and if it was he didn’t seem to notice.

     We were woken up so fucking early. Back downstairs for breakfast again I sat beside Alex across from Gerard and a guy who I hadn’t met yet. Each of them had an entire pot of coffee on their plate instead of food.

     The guy beside me looks at me over his mug, “I heart coffee,” he mumbles. Gerard grunts and nods at nothing in particular. #

     Brendon sits on his other side. “Good morning sunshine!” he smiles at Gerard.

     “If you talk to me again I’ll take away any memory you have of sex, Urie,” Gerard hisses.

     Brendon laughs and looks over at me, “he’s no morning person. You aren’t either are you?”

     I shake my head and down a cup of coffee.

     Another new guy sits beside me. He has dyed black hair and almost as many tattoos as me. Another new guy sits beside him. They all must have been on the other side of the dinner table. “Guys! Introduce yourselves to Frank! He doesn’t know who you are and you’re confusing his morning brain!” Vic calls from down the table.

     The guy beside Gerard looks up from pouring coffee. “I’m Mikey, Gerard’s brother, I’m technically indestructible.”

     “Hey,” I say, it’s too early in the morning to appreciate how awesome his power is.

     “I’m Andy,” tattoo guy says in a deep voice. “I can manipulate electricity,” he says and the lights above us flicker. He smiles.

     “I’m Bob.” The guy beside Andy says and that’s all he says. Not a morning person either.

      Back down in the direction of Vic’s voice comes, “I’m Kellin, and I can be whoever you want.”

      “That means he’s a shape shifter,” Vic calls.

     I nod my head. I’m probably not going to remember most of this later.

     “I’m Jaime, I can control fire,” a voice says walking behind me toward Vic.

     When no one else is piping up to introduce themselves I take it that this is everyone and that there are no girls. Huh.

     After breakfast we are released to roam the gardens and do whatever we want until we have to go get our powers sucked. Alex is gone and I don’t really no anyone else so I go and sit on a rock overlooking a cliff. I could die really easily right now, I think, all I have to do is be pushed or jump. Jumping seems like a good idea.

    The urge leaves immediately and I almost fully forget that I thought that. I look around and Vic is standing looking concerned behind Gerard.

    “He told me to stop you thinking that,” Gerard explains.

     Vic nods and then walks away. I really don’t like how easily people here just get into my mind.

     Gerard wanders over and sits on a rock across from me. “Don’t do it,” I find myself saying before I even realise it.

      He raises his eyebrows.

     “I uh, know that you have the urge now that I just had… I know it’s not that strong but you have your own thoughts besides… Yea don’t jump,” I babble.

     “I won’t,” he says stretching back and looking over at me. “You know all about my powers because The Captain used me as an example yea?”

     I nod. He smirks, “he thinks I’m so close to being cured, idiot, I’m no closer than the day I got here.”

     “Does the treatment not work?” I ask, worried.

     “Oh yea the treatment works fine but I don’t want it to work on me so every time it takes a bit of my power from me I just take it back again.”

     “Why don’t you want to be treated?” I ask looking Gerard in the eye.

     “I just don’t”

     He sits there for a while not talking to me, jus staring out to sea. After a while a woman all in white comes to get me for my first treatment session.

 

We’re back in the room with the giant tank. The Captain asks me to strip down to my underwear. He then has people fasten wires with little suction cups to my forehead.

     “Step into the tank please,” he says sliding open the panel and motioning me inside. The glass becomes whole again and within seconds the tank is filling with water.

     “Please try to relax, Frank. I just need you to breathe normally at first so I can figure this all out,” he says holding a tablet. He stares down at it as the water begins to rise. Lights dim to off and the only light is the feint glow of the tablet illuminating the crevices of The Captains face. He looks up just as the water reaches my nostrils. “Breathe in the water and hold your breath,” he demands from the gloom.

     I take in a deep breath and hold it. I begin to cough as soon as I try to hold it. The water level drops and I cough the water out.

     “Interesting,” the water begins to rise again, “hold it.”

     I breathe in the water and go to hold it but my lungs won’t have it. My chest burns with the water.

     I splutter and cough it out again.

     “Very interesting… Try just breathe normally next,” The Captain said looking down at the tablet. As soon as the water is high enough again I breathe it in and out as I normally do.

     The captain turns away and starts typing into a computer on the wall. A screen lights up showing waves and numbers all warped by the water and glass.

     “Try drink the water and breathe…” The Captain calls. I did as he said this time easily. My chest still fucking hurt.

     “Hmm… okay this might sting a little…” he pulls a lever and the wires at my temples begin to pulse. My brain numbs and stings. “Alright Frank, I think I’ll now start teaching you to drown.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This title is from my personal favourite Headfirst for Halos (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	3. And then tomorrow we’ll do it again

I fall onto my bed. My head is pounding and fuzzy and my skull feels raw. Every part of me feels heavy and I need a fucking smoke.

     I didn’t think I’d fallen asleep but I guess I must have. When you’re not able to keep your eyes open or your thoughts straight maybe drifting into sleep is the best idea.

     Alex is poking me. “Get up,” he whispers.

     My eyes dart open but don’t focus on anything because it’s pitch black. “What time is it?” I mumble, slowly making out the outline of Alex standing over me. I’m still fully dressed from earlier. I think it was more of a collapsing and becoming knocked out than falling asleep.

     “Like three am? I dunno. C’mon, shut the hell up and follow me,” he whispers and pulls on the bedroom window bars. They slide upwards. Alex eases the window upward and slips onto the windowsill. He stands, jumps and slowly the silhouettes of his feminine legs disappear upwards. I follow suit, climbing out the window that is just awkward to reach height wise.

     I look up and see Alex pull himself up from windowsill to windowsill. I’m afraid being a total midget is going to impair my ability to climb this but whatever. I jump and scrape my fingers off the ledge above me. I’m unbalanced and three stories up so honestly I don’t want to jump much more. Eventually I grab the windowsill overhead and pull myself up, scraping the toe of my shoes off rough brick as I heave myself upward.

     On the next ledge I look in; the room is completely empty. There aren’t even sheets on the bed. I look up and see Alex hoist himself onto the roof. I jump up and begin scrambling onto the next sill. Whoever was in this room is currently not there so I’m assuming they’re on the roof too. It was definitely occupied because there’s underwear on the floor.

     Jump, catch, hoist, grunt, flop, repeat. At last I’m on the final sill before the roof. I must be about seven stories up now and I feel completely disorientated looking down at the small patches of light coming from ground floor windows.

     I catch the edge of the roof and begin to heave myself up when I hear a crack. It’s not the roof but the drain. I give in to the fact that I’m probably going to fall to a premature death when hands wrap around my wrists and I’m lifted upwards.

     There’s a small fire burning on the flat of the roof illuminating the faces of Gerard, Mikey, Kellin and Jaime. Vic and Alex are holding my wrists. “Difficult climb for a short guy,” Vic says at like an inch taller than me, “yea I should know I’m small too, but you get used to it.”

    “Who else did you ask?” Gerard grunts from the small fire.

    “That’s all,” Vic says and leads us over to the fire.

    Gerard lights a cigarette on the fire and sits down. The smell drifts over to me and the cravings return with a punch.

     “Do you have one for Frank?” Vic asks smiling at me. I try to cloud my thoughts or just not think at all now I’m around Vic but that’s difficult.

    Gerard lights a cigarette and passes it to me. Alex is lying back staring at the sky. Jaime sits flicking the fire around up into the sky and Kellin is staring at Vic. Vic has his eyes closed like he’s just listening to everything we’re thinking. “I am,” he mumbles. Mikey is staring into the flames and Gerard, Gerard is staring at me.

    We both break out of the eye contact quickly and blushing. Vic’s eyes snap open and he looks over at Gee eyebrows raised. Gee squints for a second and Vic’s face drops and he goes back to listening to thoughts.

    “It’s annoying how no thoughts are safe here,” Kellin mumbles and then starts humming.

     Every now and again I look up to make awkward as fuck eye contact with Gerard. He’s gorgeous in the firelight… I won’t go on because I don’t want Vic to hear me think the thoughts of a college girl on a camping trip with her boyfriend.

     After a while conversations begin, which one by one becomes a large discussion on the Stranglers. I join in wearily at first but that changes rapidly as Kellin challenges my opinion.

     Vic laughs every now and then looking at someone after nothing funny was said. It’s weird hanging around with a mind reader.

     After an hour and a half Alex and I climb back down into our room. Climbing down is even harder than climbing up. It’s not as difficult physically but mentally it fucks you over. I mean you know you’re up really high, you lie half off a ledge and without being sure there’s a solid you can touch you drop off. Each time I land it is the biggest relief imaginable.

     We sleep like an hour before breakfast. It’s the kind of sleep I’m not sure actually happened.

     Gerard sits opposite me at the table. We don’t talk because it’s the morning and neither of us do mornings. The main thing is is that Gerard sat opposite me despite having loads of other seating options.

    From down the table Vic winks at me and laughs eating toast. I go red and focus on the bowl of soggy cornflakes and mug of coffee in front of me. For the entirety of breakfast I eat silently while stealing glances up at Gerard while he downs a pot and a half of coffee with Mikey mirroring him.

    After lunch I roam the gardens on my own. I see white coats (Alex’s term) walking toward me and even though I’ve done nothing wrong, I jump sideways into a bush. I break through a few branches and trip into a clear patch. I stumble along the roughly made path and the weather seems to be getting hotter. Like it was normal October weather on the main path, drizzly and cool, but here it is like the Sahara.

     I’m not joking, the farther down the path I went the hotter it got, like I was growing closer to the centre of the earth on a slight uphill. I was about to sweat my skin off I push through one thin wall of ferns and fall face first into a clearing.

     “Oh fuck sorry!” I blurt and avert my eyes. In the middle of the mossy clearing, amidst black clothes are Brendon and Ryan. They pull apart quickly and Ryan covers himself with a t-shirt. Brendon looks so scared and the temperature drops. The sky clouds over as I remember Brendon controls the weather. “Um… Uh… I’ll leave now…”

     I turn around and am about to push through the clearing. “Wait!” Brendon calls worriedly, “you’re not going to tell anyone are you?”

     “Of course not,” I reassure not looking at the completely naked Brendon.

     “Try not to remember this at all when you’re within like fifteen meters of Vic. I think he already knows but in case he doesn’t…” Ryan cautions.

     “Yea sure. Fuck sorry guys, Brendon just keep the temperature down a little please I’m sweating more than you,” I say trying to sound okay with the fact I’ve just seen two guys I was hoping to befriend butt fuck in the forest.

     I shake myself and push back through the fern.

     Back on the main path the heat is normal again. I round a corner and a whit coat takes me by the elbow, “time to get cured,” he says and I’m brought back to the room with the tank.

     This Drowning lesson goes much the same as the last; I try hold my breath and choke and then have my brain ribs raw against my skull as I struggle for air. I notice my breaths become shorter, even if just for a millisecond I notice it and it bothers me. Suddenly I need to breathe faster underwater to get enough to function. This scares me mainly because it means the treatment is working. And as much as I don't want the government fucking killing me I don't want to be able to drown in water, only thoughts

 

I sleep for a bit when I get back that afternoon and then go to dinner. And tomorrow we do it again.

    At dinner that day Vic comes in pale and shaking. “What’s wrong?” Jaime asks and the table goes quiet. No one sees Vic speak only close his eyes and his whole body shake. _Kellin tried to run away dressed as a white coat and they caught him and tried to drain all his powers_ Vic’s voice played through my mind. No one saw him form the words but it was obvious we could all here it. Vic looks ill. He closes his eyes and starts shaking again _I heard something meet me on the roof at one am bring Alex, Mikey, Ashley and Ray._ This time it was obvious not everyone heard. I look over at Alex, he doesn’t seem to have heard anything or he’s super used to Vic getting inside his head. Vic poked at his dinner but ate none. He looked like he was going to faint.

    We all go to that room again. This time we all take turns at the two guitars and singing. Gerard and I end up sitting side by side and we talk. He even laughs a bit and I feel like I could fly. Vic smiles menacingly at us constantly and even winks at Gerard. He can obviously hear my thoughts gushing about how fucking awesome Gerard is and how hot he is and how happy I am every time he agrees with me or laughs at my feeble attempt to be funny.

    Back at the room Alex says he did not hear Vic’s second message and said he felt it was weird that Vic contacted me instead. I told him it was probably that I was closer.

     I found it extremely hard to fall asleep that night. My mind was fully trained on Kellin being so severely drained that Vic looked in morning and the thing that Vic had heard. It’s obviously something important that he couldn’t let the white coats have any idea. Even at dinner I’d noticed they’d put more guards on. Like we’d try to escape rather than eat soggy meatloaf and this weird ass pink vegetable no one knew existed before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is a lyric from the song that overall inspired this fic, Drowning Lessons (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	4. Well I'll choose this life I've taken, never mind the friends I'm making

I struggle up onto the roof again. This time Alex helps me jump and Gerard is the one to pull me onto the roof. I blush a thanks and we walk away off along the slates as Alex eases himself up. Vic and Jaime are sitting ahead and Mikey is standing beside them looking off into the distance.

     “Not everyone’s here yet,” Vic says as Mikey is about to speak. He closes his mouth, scowls for a second at Vic and returns to staring way out to sea.

    Alex stands beside him and follows his stare. “Oh my god…” he mumbles.

    “Oh my god,” Vic echoes jumping up and slipping on a tile as he stumbles up to Alex and Mikey.

     “It’s there isn’t it,” Mikey murmurs.

     “What is?” Gerard and I blurt simultaneously.

     “There’s another Island over there,” Alex says, “and there’s low buildings, like army barracks. Except the people there… I can’t really see it’s very dark… But it looks like there are a load of girls… All in black… working in fields and stuff it seems… I dunno I’ll look again in the bright I can see far away but I’m not a cat…”

     Another Island, like this, all for girls. But they’re not getting like treated…

     Vic says what we’re all thinking, “do you think they have powers?”

     Alex continues to stare. He starts squinting and scanning the island. After about three minutes of us silently watching Alex scan the island he says, “Okay one chick just blasted something out of her palms so my guess is yes.”

     Before we could ask more Andy and Ashley are walking toward us. Ashley is in woman form and feeling his own breasts… Whatever you’re into I guess.

    Minutes later Ray and Bob clamber over the roof too and Vic gestures us all to sit down.

    So I was being escorted back from visiting Kellin in the infirmary when I caught what a white coat was thinking… Okay um I don’t know how to phrase this really… One of them was picturing this uh machine with wires and a cap and the Captain was sitting in under it and all these lights were going on and then he was thought _why does the Captain get all the powers to himself when the rest of us work hard to keep the freaks in order._ So I got curious and snuck around a bit trying to hear more. _He still hasn’t drained this guy enough to erase everyone’s memories when they’re powerless and he won’t be able to the fucking bastard won’t let him_ and his mind pictured you Gerard while you were getting drained this afternoon. Then another thought about you Ash and how important it is for you to get drained. Then the last bit like this I caught was that Zack never went home, he’s held captive on an island until they can erase his memory.” We’re all silent staring up at him.

     “So the Captain wants to take our powers for himself. He knows that if he has all our powers there’s nothing anyone can do to fucking stop him doing anything,” Andy spits after a while.

     “Especially mine,” Mikey mumbles, “then they can’t even kill him.”

     Everyone nods.

     “Why is mine so important? All I can do is stare at my own tits which isn’t even that great anymore.”

     _The island with the girls_ I think.“Maybe he can’t drain any girl’s powers because he’s a dude…” I suggest. Everyone is looking at me but my eyes rest on Gerard’s. “Maybe he has to be a like a woman before he can have their powers and that’s why they’re over there and not here.”

     Alex explains to those who weren’t there what we mean about the island of girls. “So he wants to take my power the get girls,” Ashley laughs morphing back into guy form.

     “You could put it like that,” Bob mumbles. I haven’t spoken to Bob much. He looks intimidating and I still have no idea what he can do.

     “Bob can slow down time for himself and others,” Vic says.

     I glance over at Bob, “I’ll show you. Way, wave or something,” he says.

     Mikey and Gerard both start waving. Bob squints a bit suddenly it slows down completely. My breaths are slow and so is my heart beat but I feel like I can still do whatever the fuck I want at a normal speed. Things go back to normal after… well I have no idea how long.

     “Fucking awesome,” I laugh. Bob smiles a little bashfully.

     “What are we going to then,” Ray asks from Bob’s left.

     “Resist,” I say. “Ashley if you go in a girl he can’t do anything can he?”

      “No so what I’ll go in as a chick?” Ashley says.

     “Yea.”

     “But what if they force me to change?” Ashley says looking seriously worried.

     I was about to answer but Gerard cuts over me, “they’ve been trying to force me for a while… but I don’t let them. I block them out, I don’t let them in my head. It’s hard but doable.”

    Alex sniggers, “that’s what she said.” Ashley smirks but the rest just shake our heads, “not the time.”

    “Just everyone resist them, block them out, cause trouble and wreak havoc. Don’t let them take your mind,” Gerard instructs. His eyes gleaming with intrigue, “Andy and Jaime kick up a fuss, wreck everything. Bob try to slow down the process so it doesn’t work. Ray confuse them with endorphins. Vic, play mind games. Alex focus on things really far away and don’t let them shorten it. Frank… act like you’re drowning but don’t actually. Make them end your sessions early so they think they’re curing you. Mikey just don’t let them hurt you…”

    “We’ll try warn the others then throughout the day,” Vic says.

    “I’ll try get Ryan to fuck around with them,” Jaime smiles.

    “Starting tomorrow then we’re all gonna be total assholes and fuck with this until it stops then,” Andy says.

    “Yea I guess. Whoever isn’t early morning sessions warn the rest. Night guys,” Gerard says and starts treading down the slant of the roof and then disappearing off the edge. Mikey follows him.

    Back in our room Alex is quick to sleep but my mind is too full of thoughts that I don’t sleep for what seems like hours.

 

Breakfast has a weird vibe. Everyone’s trying to act normal and failing. I’d caught Brendon and Ryan in the hall and briefly filled them in. We had white coats behind us so I just said “resist as much as you can this morning, very important, Vic will fill you in…” and then I managed to make it seem like I was asking them about piano.

     Gerard asks me to pass him more coffee and our hands touch for longer than they’d have to in passing a cup. I’m not saying this means much only that I totally just got to second base.

     I go out into the gardens on my own again. Alex was taken for treatment in the morning and so was Andy and Ryan. I was walking alone when I saw a lightning storm kick up. I run up and around a corner to find Brendon with his hands in the air standing on one of the rocks me and Gerard sat on.

     “Brendon what are you doing?” I demand from a meter bellow.

     “Helping Andy,” he smiles and a bolt of lightning hits something sticking out of a window.

    “What the fuck Brendon you’ll fry them all!” I shout.

    “Nah I won’t,” he smiles hopping off the rock to stand still way taller than me, “Andy is just going to fuck with their systems a bit by blowing every fuse. Vic told me everything by getting in my head earlier and Andy asked me to give him power. He’s so pissed off,” he grins.

    I stand up on the rock and see white coat after white coat run into the main building. Some are carrying spades and fling them into the long grass as they run in the door. So many spades it’s kind of weird.

     I see Gerard strolling toward us and jump down off the rock. Brendon sits down.

     “Nice storm,” Gerard notes standing beside me.

     “Thanks,” Brendon says standing up, “I’m going to go check on Ryan. He was trying to scare the shit out of the people treating him, making them see scary things and I want to make sure they haven’t hurt him.” He starts jogging away in the path of the white coats and disappears behind a massive yew tree.

     Gerard sits down on the rock and I sit opposite him and try to smile in a hot way. I usually just look “adorable”. He smiles back and my stomach twists. I feel like such a teenage girl.

     The feeling increases as I go to touch my hair.

     “So… how did you discover your power?” I ask after a moment of awkward silence.

     His face goes grave and he stares off to sea, like he can burry that memory in the depths.

     “I’m sorry if it’s personal you don’t have to tell me…” I mumble.

     “It’s fine. It was about five years ago. I was um walking down an alley on my own. I’d walked those alleys a million times before just this time it was at like 3am and I was a little high. Also I was all alone. So I turn a corner and am in this uh midsection between two alleys so about twelve feet that you can’t see from the main street and these two guys approach me with knives. Because I was high and fucking broke I didn’t just give them my wallet but punched one guy in the face. My knuckles hurt and he goes staggering backwards. I’m a weak fucker and he only steps back like two fucking steps with a cut on his fucking lip. Barely bleeding. So they both lunge at me with knives and one guy slashes me across the chest ripping a bright line through my Smiths’ shirt. A signed one for fuck sake, now blood stained and ripped. So I’m lying on the ground the two thugs standing over me and my mind racing with ways to escape and then I see something. It’s in my head I know but it’s buzzing around them. Then I realise I have one too. It’s weird, a colour you’ve never seen before and never will because you mind can’t make up colours no matter how high you get. I make mine reach out and take there’s. Suck it all in till I’m exhausted and they’re lying on the floor struggling for life. I’d taken absolutely every memory they’d ever had. They couldn’t remember how to breathe, their bodies figured it out when they thought they were about to die. I’d taken like every living memory they had and what’s worse is that they’re mine now. I have thirty four years of being a thug embedded on my brain twice. When your brain searches for an answer it compares the situation to your memories and because I’ve got fucking murderer and rapist memories. I try to think what I’d like to drink and my mind looks back on bar fights I never had. I know they’re not my memories but sometimes I look back on say my first kiss and I see some fat girl who let me feel her up when we were eleven and seven minutes in heaven with a little blond girl even though my first kiss was a dude and I’m sure. All because I was too fucking stupid to just give them my wallet with four dollars and a Walmart coupon. God if I could go back and not have this fucking power I would. But whatever I’m not afraid to keep on living even with hundreds other people’s memories it feels like I walk this road alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys thank you so much for reading :3 cant believe you got this far wothout it stopping you by being annoying/boring ^.^ this chapter title was taken from Honey, This Mirror Isnt Big Enough For The Two Of Us (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	5. As days fade and nights grow

It takes five days for the white coat electricians to rewire the entire Islands power set up. Quicker than any of us wanted but considering every other white coat was some form of electrical engineer or mechanic.

     The five days spent without treatment and a serious lack of white coats around were the best days I’d spent here. Gerard and I spent most of the time at the rocks overlooking the ocean. Sometimes we were joined by Ray or Bob or Mikey or Alex would join us. We’d sit about and talk about the past, or the future or bands. The best were the hours spent in the wind and rain huddled against a rock smoking and giving out about life. Just the two of us. I can tell you Gee doesn’t think I’m annoying because he suggests us to sit around without the others.

     Third base in my opinion

     It’s the fifth day and we all know that tomorrow “treatment” will start again. Andy’s been in a cell somewhere underneath main building and we aren’t allowed go see him. “A wild one,” the captain told us. Sometimes when Vic lies down he can hear Andy’s thoughts which are generally a mixture of angry words and plans he doesn’t complete. Vic says there are images vaguely available but he can’t pin them down at this distance.

    “I don’t want to go back to drowning lessons,” I say into Gerard’s shoulder. We’re huddled together in the space between the rocks sheltered from the wind and rain. We could sit out here alone against the Atlantic weather or we could sit inside in our rooms. Alex wanted to sleep and stare at Jack from afar so I had no objection to lying in the rain with Gee.

     “Is that what you call them Frankie? Drowning lessons?” He asks leaning into me. He smells damp and of tobacco.

     “Yea. That’s what they are. They shove me in a tank and try force me not to breathe,” I whisper. I don’t know why it feels like whispering is right.

     “And so you let them? Do you let them take your breath away?” he whispers back.

    “They can’t take my breath away the way others can,” I reply only realising as the words leave my mouth how fucking cheesy they are.

     He stifles a laugh, “like who Frankie?”

     I’m about to say like you when I realise there could not be a worse or more corny reply imaginable. “Audrey Hepburn.” I reply as if that was any better.

     He laughs properly now, “Frank Iero, the only straight guy here with powers.”

     I laugh too then Gerard says “nah there’s probably other straight guys here.”

     “I’m not one of them whoever they are,” I laugh. _C’mon gee get the hint._

He laughs nervously. I echo him awkwardly.

    Gerard takes out a cigarette, lights it and passes it to me. He lights himself one and we sit in silence, smoking.

     When we’re both finished we stub them out and huddle closer together as the wind whipped overhead and the drizzle becomes fat droplets of rain. Without noticing I lie my head on Gee’s shoulder. Before I could retract Gerard leans his head on mine.

    “Let’s go get lunch,” I suggest at last. I shuffle to my feet and extend my hand to Gerard. He reaches up and holds onto it and with all his own force springs into the air and lands in to kiss me. Our hands still together fall limply at our sides and our mouths work against each other as the rain falls around us.

 

I stand in front of the tank in my swimshorts the next morning. The lights flicker overhead from the quick repair job, the main focus of which was not the lighting in a room used by one person.

    I step gingerly in the tank and wait for the water to rise. I still have no idea how I’m going to resist this.

     The water is up to my chin, still no idea how to resist.

     The water is at my mouth and I do the thing that is second nature to humans, I take a deep breath of actual air and hold it as the water raises past my nose. I then start treading water like I need to stay afloat to breathe.

    “What are you doing Frank?” the voice comes muffled from outside the tank.

    “Instinct I guess,” I mumble.

     I take a deep breath of air and dive down into the rising water, do a handstand, and resurface. My wires are completely tangled and some have fallen looser than they should be for the treatment to work.

    “Frank, stop. Co-operate and it’ll be over soon,” the voice comes again.

    “Fine,” I concede and breathe in the water. I feel my brain fuzz at the edges and I push it back. I want to stay in control here, and I push it back more.

     I breathe shorter breaths, giving off the impression that it’s working while pushing them out. I spend the entire time concentrating so hard that in leaving I’m still as tired as I would be if I had succumbed to the robbing of my powers.

    I go to lunch regardless sitting with Mikey and Jaime. Brendon comes and sits down with all the grace of a drunk elephant, “I’ve just heard, Vic got seriously drained this morning. As bad as Kellin had been. He’s in the infirmary right now,” he blurts. Then quieter, “guys tonight the Captain is going to have loads of Vic’s power.”

     We all know what that means. We’re going to have to not think about resistance or the other Island or how the others are doing… Everyone is going to basically mist their thoughts severely.

     Jaime sits up straight, bangs a fist on the table and lifts the fire out of the dining room hearth and sets the curtains on fire. He mutters in Spanish and leaves the room in the direction of the infirmary.

    White coats go insane trying to put out the fire. They throw all the liquids they can get their hands on at the curtain. One white coat is about to throw brandy at the curtains. Bob is on his feet lightning fast and takes the jug out of his hands. He pats out the remaining fire and is back sitting and eating again in three breaths.

     My throat stings with the smell of smoke and apple juice drenched cloth. I grab a roll from the centre of the table and stride out the back door into the afternoon mist.

     I walk around some brambles and into “the orchard” which has a total of three fruit trees and a dead raspberry plant. I turn around to see Mikey has followed me. “Hey,” I say leaning against the rotting crab apple tree. Flakes of bark and ants fall to the mossy ground.

     “Hi, listen Frankie, Gee told me about you two,” he looks uncomfortable.

     “You’re not going to give me the whole “hurt him and I’ll hurt you” lecture, are you?” I grin.

     “No Frank,” he looks stern as ever, “I’m just telling you to be careful. If, no when the Captain starts asking Gee questions or tries to break him he doesn’t need more things making him vulnerable. He’s already got me. No matter what I say Gerard will still do anything to protect me and I’m not able to die. You make him even more vulnerable.”

    I shuffle uncomfortably, my back wearing away more of the old tree. I hadn’t thought of that. I know they need Gerard’s powers almost most of all to continue the plan.

    I shake my head, “Gerard knows he doesn’t ever need to save me…”

    “Gerard holds on to his most recent memories, good or bad because he feels like they’re real. He judges everything by them, he’ll try save you I know he will and when we need to resist, if the white coats realise, they’ll use you. Just be careful is all.”

 

Everyone is on edge that evening. The dining room feels a lot more empty, Vic and Kellin in the infirmary, Jaime visiting, Andy locked away and Ryan and Brendon asleep after tough treatment sessions. Also there are burn marks on the walls and singed curtains still left up.

    Gerard sits opposite me, his face drawn with the exhaustion of the session. Halfway through dinner the Captain walks in.

     “Hi guys,” he smiles forcefully casual. “I think we’d all been making great progress till recently. You’d been doing great! Some of you nearly ready to go into the final stages! Then Brendon,” he glares at Brendon, “helped Andy fry the place! Now you’ve all been very uncooperative. So what is it guys? Why are you all suddenly very against cure? We had to knock Vic unconscious this morning just to attach him to the wires!” he realises then that that is a very bad thing to say. We all glare menacingly at him, “Okay guys what is it? Its drain or die, I can’t believe you even have to think about it.”

     I try fill my mind with confusion. I flick quickly through pictures along to the theme tune of the misfits. I can see everyone concentrate on this. We’re all blocking out the thought that we all want to think.

    The Captain rubs his temples and moans. “Okay guys one of you better give me a straight answer here.” He begins pacing the room leaning in close to everyone’s head. I fuzz my thoughts further.

     Finally the Captain finishes his rounds of the room and takes a seat at the foot of the table. Bob starts eating, natural expression. The rest of us try to follow suit but not everyone is as calm as Bob.

    “I’m not leaving till I get an answer,” he states. When no one replies he glares down the table, his eyes resting not quite on anyone but in them… It’s creepy as fuck.

     We try ignore him filling our thoughts with random things. I try to add another layer to my thoughts which for some reason turns out to be Kelly Clarkson singing against the misfits. The Captains eyes fly over to me and a look of total confusion crosses his face.

    I’m almost finished eating when the captain gasps and jumps up, “I knew it, it’s all that made sense! Well now you know-”

    Gerard cuts him off jumping up and staring at him. The Captains eyes glaze over, Gerard is taking that memory. The Captain shakes his head and glares back at Gee, throwing a punch at him, knocking him clean off the floor and against the wall.

    Gerard slumps against the wall but he’s not unconscious or in pain.

    He’s smiling. His pupils are so large inside his iris’s they’re almost fully black. He stares at his hands in front of him and makes little incomprehensible noises.

    Ray goes red and we all know it’s because it was Ray’s power that the Captain just used against Gerard.

    I didn’t notice myself moving but I’m kneeling next to Gee now, looking at the back of his head which has a huge gash on it. “You fucking bastard,” Bob mumbles standing now. Ray looks really horrified sitting in his chair. Mikey is down opposite me cradling his brother.

    “This could have gone so much smoother,” the Captain says straightening his shirt. “Now was I saying something before Gerard so rudely interrupted me,” he stares up at the line of white coats entering the room. “Take everyone back to their rooms. Search them. Search the rooms. Lock them in.” A hand gabs my elbow and I reach around to punch upward. I catch a woman in the nose, it cracks beneath my knuckles and she trips over her own feet then and lands on the ground. My view of her disappears. A storm of legs replacing her scrunched up face holding her nose. I realise now it’s the same woman who’d brought me to my room on the first day.

    Hands grab at me from various directions and drag me away from Gee. He’s lying in a pool of blood and giggling. Bob is flinging punches at every other white coat at an incredible pace until he falls to his knees limply and giggling. Ray is knocking white coat after white coat to the ground, glassy eyed and gleaming. The captain tries to do it to Ray but evidentially his own power affects him none. Mikey throws up a huge fight as they try pull him away from Gerard but the white coats eventually have him out the door.

    I wish I could make a bigger fuss but five men have literally picked me up by the limbs and are pulling me out the door. I see Ryan concentrating in a corner and then the Captain yell. He starts patting himself down and screaming. A white coat drops my left leg and runs over to help him. The last thing I see as I’m carried writhing from the room is Ryan get a kick to the side of the head, knocking him against the rough bricks of the wall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title comes from the beautiful song Demolition Lovers (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	6. And the view outside is sterile

 One white coat holds me against the wall while another strips off my clothes. I’m standing silently in a pair of black boxer shorts as they turn my room upside down. They pull all the clothes from drawers and pull off the bed sheets and mattress. They feel around the pillow case and look behind everything that can move. “Clean,” one announces just as another six white coats enter dragging a beat up Alex. His nose is dribbling blood onto his swollen lip. One of his eyes is half closed and there is a gash on the side of his head. They shove him down on the mattress where he lies unmoving. The white coats file out the door. “We’ll try get a nurse to you,” the last one mumbles as she closes over the door and locks it.

    I leap down beside Alex, “Hey, Alex. Listen to me, fuck you’re head…” I pick up a t-shirt, ball it up and press it to the bleeding wound. The black fabric slowly gets darker and sticky.

    “I wasn’t even doing anything,” Alex mumbles. “I would’ve if I had a useful fucking power. The white coats,” coughs, “couldn’t figure out who was fucking with the Captains head. Ryan was lying half unconscious,” cough, “but he continued to fuck with the Captain’s head until he was rolling around the ground in other people’s blood, screaming.”

    I wince at that image. That’s fucking gross and on top of that the blood is probably Gee’s. After a while Alex sits up and holds the t-shirt to his head himself. “Can you sit up here against the wall?” I ask him. He nods and I gingerly help him over to the wall and prop him up on a pillow. He lies his head back against the bricks and presses the t-shirt into the wound.

    I start piling clothes into drawers and try slide the drawers into place. I pick up the last one and slide back into place. It makes a sound that doesn’t sound like the solid smack the others made. In fact it sounds almost hollow. I pull the massive wooden chest of drawers out as much as I can and know on the back. A panel pops open. Inside is a pack of chewing gum and a scrunched up page.

    I look over at Alex who is staring up at me from beside the door. “What’s that?” he asks trying to sit up straighter.

    “Uh a note…” I unfold it and even it out on the drawers before heaving them back in place.

     “I’ll read it out…

_Dude, I’m “cured” now but I’m not aloud go home. The C says I’m going to witness protection but really he’s sending me off to some camp. He’s got all my strength dude, no amount of time in the gym will get me like that again. If you get this tell the others that the C is taking their powers for himself._

_Remember old buildings; old passages_

_Zack_ ”

     Alex stares up at me. “Zack was my roommate before you came. He was cured and they said he was re-joining society. He was like seriously fucking strong….”

    That’s why the Captain was able to throw Gerard so far and hard.

    My stomach turns. What is meant by _Remember old buildings; old passages_?

     As if reading my mind Alex says, “he had a fascination with the walls. Thought there was passageways or something. Will you put my mattress up so I can go to sleep now?”

    I put a t-shirt and jeans on realising I’m still partially naked and then lift Alex’s mattress and sheets awkwardly back onto the bedframe. A nurse comes in just as I have my bed back together. I sit silently and watch as she tends to Alex’s wounds. When she’s about to leave I catch her by the elbow, “sorry miss can I ask you if Gerard Way has been admitted to the infirmary?”

    She shuffles her feet slightly. “I’m not to say…”

    “Please I just want to know if he’ll live.”  
    She looks sad. “Yea he’ll live, all the rebel freaks’ll be okay. Horrible term ain’t it. It’s been two hours and they’ve already named y’all,” she sighs, “you ain’t aloud to visit ‘em but they’re alive. Island’s on lockdown now.” She sighs and slips out of the room, doing up all the locks outside.

     I turn off my lamp and go to sleep.

 

It’s the middle of the night when I jolt awake. The room is dark grey and long shadows are cast by the bright full moon outside. I sit up in bed. I can’t remember the nightmare but considering the reality of the evening I don’t think I want to.

    I sit up and stare out the window. The bright moon has washed the world in a lifeless grey and the decay of October makes the view even more sombre. I slide out of bed and put socks on. The floor is still fucking cold but it’s better than it was. In a t-shirt and underwear I stand facing the iron bars. Alex had told me his last roommate had discovered the moving bars so maybe the bars did something else. I started pulling at and prodding the iron bars. After a few tries the bars slide upwards. I slot them back into place as quietly as I can.

    With the island on lock down I won’t be able to see Gee if I don’t find these passages.

    All the bars checked I move to the bricks. I push every brick I can reach on three walls, nothing.

    I sit back down on my bed. I’m tired again and it’s still night. All the energy has been used up in poking bricks. I could get in a few hours’ sleep…

    I lie back and hit my head off the bed post. Suddenly there’s a loud creak and the wall opens and the bed tips over.

     Before I can figure out my thoughts I’m hurtling down a black hole. My face hits something cold and steel. My body soon follows suit and I’m sliding sharply down a slope. I come to a sudden stop as my face hits something rough and hard. My body crashes down and my face scraped along the rough ground.

    I pick myself up and look around. Its pitch black except for cracks in floor boards right above my head. I look up and hear snoring. Standing up I’m just tall enough to fit in the passage. Were Zack down here I’m sure he’d have to bend double. I feel along the path till I find a black handle. I want to pull it but don’t know where it is so I look for a view point. I feel around the wall until I find a slot. I slip it aside and look in. I see a room much bigger than mine and full of beds.

    I can’t tell who’s in them but I can see four sleeping bodies. I hear no sign of stirring so I pull the lever. A small creak lifts a patch of wall up. I bend down and crawl through into a bed of ashes. The wall falls back in to place behind me making a loud crash on the grate. One of the bodies sits up straight and gasps. The rest barely stir.

    “Who’s there,” the voice comes high and familiar. The light from the window casts his shadow long on the floor.

    “Shhhhh Kellin, it’s me Frank,” I whisper. There are no white coats in the room but I doubt they’re far.

     “Hey Frank, please tell me what’s happened. Vic looks so sick and they won’t tell me why. He won’t wake up either…” He looks distressed.

     I scratch the back of my neck, standing now. “Uh he was fucking badly drained, man, like you were and yea. Shit’s gone down…” I fill Kellin in on everything he’s missed while lying here unconscious.

    He looks over at the other beds and frowns.

    I tip toe across to a bed. I look down at Gerard. He is badly bruised and has a large gash on the back of his head which is partially visible. The pillow was splattered red.

    My eyes well up with tears. Nope, not crying in front of Kellin.

    I touch Gee’s cheek and then start off toward the fire place again. “I was never here Kellin, okay?”

    He nods. Out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of another body. I walk over and see Ryan Ross lying bruised and beaten in the bed. His lips are swollen and both eyes blackened. He has a bad gash to the side of his head which has been bandaged up. I feel so sorry for him.

    It takes me embarrassingly long to find the lever from this side. I decide to keep following the passage. Twists and turns lead me to a sudden hole. It drops down hundreds of feet. I don’t know what possesses me to but I decide to go down it. I take a small leap and grab on to iron bars at the other side and begin to scale down the ladder.

    Arms aching I finally hit ground again. The floor is wet.

    Two tunnels stretch before me. Still not sure why but I start stumbling down one of them. By the time I get to the end of the tunnel it’s getting bright. I’m standing ankle deep in water. Two small boats are tied to the edge and the water stretches out before me for miles. On the horizon I can just about make out an island. Or at least that’s what I’m assuming it is.

    I start making my way back up the tunnel.

 

They bring breakfast for Alex and I moments after I slip into bed. It’s a bowl of soggy cornflakes and a pot of coffee between us. All I can think is that Gee would be unhappy having to share his coffee.

     Alex goes off for treatment with a ten man escort when they come back for the dishes. “Resist,” I whisper in his ear as he leaves. I take this as an opportunity to explore the passage. They said I’ll be getting treatment in the afternoon because after draining him they’re going to interrogate Alex. The poor guy looks horrified as they lead him out of the room. I push the bed post back and jump over the slide to a path on the other side. I obviously couldn’t see it in the night. I crawl along past other rooms. I see Bob and Ray sitting in one room through a peep hole. They’re nursing wounds and playing with dice.

     I find Brendon in another pacing back and forth grimacing. I find a panel and press it, sliding open the wall of Brendon’s room.

    His eyebrows shoot upwards. I silence him with a gesture. “Can’t stay long, Brendon. Just want to let you know Ryan’s alive.”

    His expression calms and he sits down on a bed. His room is similar to mine just positioned differently.

    “Where… How did you get through there?” he asks nodding at the wall.

     “I’m not saying because if you’re anywhere near the Captain it would be dangerous.” I say quite sensibly.

     He nods. “Alright. What are we going to do Frank? About all this?”

     “We’re not giving in anyway,” I grin, “We’re going to keep our powers and fucking leave this place as soon as we can get shit together.”

     He looks out the window almost sombre. “I know it’s mad but I never gave a damn about the weather. I could give this power away right now. I don’t want it if it means my friends get tortured. I never gave a damn about the weather and it never gave a damn about me.”

     “No, no shut up we need it okay we need everyone to keep their powers as long as possible,” I gush.

     “Yea I know. Anyway you better get out of here because I’m up soon. I’ll resist don’t worry. I’ll turn away while you leave so no one sees where you came from in my thoughts.”

    “Thanks Brendon. Any messages for Ryan?”

    “Tell him he’s brave and to keep fighting,” he says and then smirks. “And say that the sooner he gets better the sooner we can, y’know. That’ll speed up the healing process.”

    I shake my head but agree anyway. I push the bed post and hop into the passage.

 

Five days we’ve been resisting. Gee was out of the infirmary when I went to peep in which scares the shit out of me. I found that the other passage leads to under the dungeons and not to the sea. I spoke with Andy who is ready to help with everything whenever, just to give him electricity.

     I decide to search again this evening for Gee. There’s one length of passages I haven’t checked yet.

    Alex is sleeping off his treatment which he resisted so well they beat him but he only managed to falter a little. To my disgust I saw it all from the passage but couldn’t do anything.

    I hop in to the dark dank mini corridor and run along it’s now familiar, narrow paths. I skid around a few corners and climb a ladder, crawl through a vent and finally make it to the junction which could lead me either to more rooms or in a mysterious direction.

    I look through peep holes into an empty chamber. The next is the same all wood floors and brick walls with two chairs and a single light bulb overhead.

    The third one’s the charm though. I look through the peep-hole down into a room with would floors, brick walls, a single lit bulb and two occupied chairs.

     “It amazes me Way how you still won’t give up. I’ve been working on you triple strength for _months_ ,” the Captain spits the last word.

     Gerard looks broken in the chair. His expression is dangerous and sad and he has gashes and bruises everywhere.

     The Captain and Gee are both connected to a big machine by wires joined to their temples.

     “Look Gerard I’ll give you another hit if you give me some. Just a little for another big strong hit. That number 0 just has to go up to a two okay, no more. But you have to let me. It’s not even that much and then you’re brother will be safe because, Gerard, if I drain all Mikey’s power too quickly you know what’ll happen. And you know how easy that’d be for me.”

    Gerard starts crying in his chair. His body shakes gently and his tears stain his jumper. “Okay… just up to 2…” he mumbles.

    A white coat comes into view and pulls a lever and Gerard throws his head back and cries. The weird lines on a screen shoot straight up in the air. The white coat pulls the lever down again and Gerard collapses in on himself.

     The captain glances up at the line and smiles. “Thank you Gerard, here,” he says and extends a hand. Gerard’s eyes glaze over and his pupils double in size. His mouth drops open in a deranged smile. The Captain has hit him with Ray’s powers again.

     Gee slumps off the chair and from the ground stares up at the bulb, giggling like an insane child. The image is very eerie. Ray’s power does something much more disturbing than any drugs I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen most.

    “Something went wrong…” a white coat says staring at the machine.

    “What?” The Captain demands incredulously.

    “Mr. Way is wired differently it seems. His power is focused in an entirely different section of his brain. You have gained 2 from an entire different section of his brain, no power.”

    The Captain rips the wires from his temples. “What the fuck are you saying Evan. I feel like I’ve gained something.”

    “Try take my last memory, Sir. Then we’ll see whether or not my stats are as off as I think.”

    The Captain stares at Evan the white coat. His face contorts with effort until finally his face falls. “So what from Gerard have I gained?”

    Evan turns to the screen and types a series of letters into a keyboard. It seems something emotional. Do you feel anything different? Do you have Mr. Way’s craving for coffee or feel brotherly affection for his brother, Mikey?”

     The Captain sits down, looking puzzled. “I feel an affection for someone else. I can’t tell who, just that there’s someone I need to protect, do you get me?”

     White coat Evan nods slowly. “I think I follow you Sir. Will I bring Mr. Way to his room?”

     “Yes. Do, please,” the Captain mumbles. When Evan the White leaves with Gerard awkwardly slumped across his shoulder the Captain strolls over to the window and stares down at the sea mumbling something I can’t hear.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Chapter title is lyrics from Cubicles (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love) because man that is a great song


	7. This water cooler romance

I’m standing before the glass tank the next morning.

     The Captain is standing behind me. I feel his eyes on me. They burn into my back and I feel so exposed in my skimpy swim trunks.

     “You look different, Iero,” he says at last never lifting his heavy stare.

     I shudder. “Maybe it’s the lack of fresh air.” I suggest venomously.

     “I never knew that isolation could do the body such good…” he purrs and I feel more uncomfortable.

     “What the fuck is your problem?” I demand. “You aren’t beating the shit out of me and I’m obviously not going to get in the tank so can I go?”

     “I don’t want to hurt you, Frank just have you… help me.” He’s pacing now.

    “I liked it better when you had you’re men in white beat me to try get me to cooperate. This is just fucking gross.”

     I see his reflection in the glass of the tank as he passes and it looks offended.

     “Why won’t you open up your mind to me Frank?” he coos. “Why won’t you let me in?”

     “I’m sick of having people in my head.”

     “But we could help each other Frank. If you want I’ll even let you keep your power. Or I’d give you more. We could both be really powerful Frank,” his smile glistens in the reflection of the water tank. I shudder.

     “Your reaction is offensive, Frank. If I were Gerard you wouldn’t be like this,” his brow furrows then his face lights up. “I know. When Kellin is drained I’ll look like Gerard forever.”

     I turn around and face him. He’s still pacing. His mouth a straight line and his brow lined with curiosity. “No way-” I begin but he cuts me off.

     “I’ll let you head off now Frank and when we talk tomorrow I hope you’ve had a good long think about it. We could work out a really favourable deal. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

     I can’t shake the feeling of his staring eyes. I can’t rid myself of this unclean feeling.

     They take Alex as they leave me. Rather than sitting in an empty room feeling gross I put a clean black outfit on and jump into the passages. I want to find Gee.

     My first stop is his old room where I see Mikey lying on his bed staring at the ceiling. No sign that Gee has been in this room since the fight at the dinner table.

     Next stop is back to those rooms where I saw him giggling like a maniac on the floor.

     He’s not in any of the rooms with the chairs but in one further down. Smaller, with a bed and a bedside locker. He’s sitting on the bed and when I open the passage he tumbles out on top of me.

     He gasps in shock and looks around. I help him up and push him and myself back into the room before the passage closes again.

     “Frank… what the fuck man!”

     “Shut up,” I warn. “These walls are fucking thin. I wanted to check on you.”

     “So you jump out of the fucking wall!” he blurts then calms himself. “Frankie, I’m so fucking confused about everything.” He stares into my eyes. His eyes are glassy and his pupils are still a tad large.

     “Gee, look at me, has the Captain been giving you doses of Ray’s powers?” I say looking directly at him. He avoids eye contact. “Oh Gee,” I sigh, “Are you fucking addicted? Can you stop?”

     He looks at me nervously for a moment and then out the window. “I don’t think so. I made a mistake…”

     “What?” I ask even though I know the answer.

     “I traded something important for another hit…”

     “Gee do still you like me in the way you did?” my voices wobbles.

     “I don’t know Frankie. I woke up this morning and straight away new that he took that and not my fucking power and the thought of kissing you was as stupid as the thought of kissing Mikey. But now you are here and I don’t know. And this is almost worn off. I need more.”

     I shake my head, “No you don’t. You need to ignore that. We’re going to have to try fight them soon, Gee, and we need your help.”

     “Why? Why can’t we give in and go home?” he pleads.

     I glare at him and turn away, stomping the short distance to the bedside locker. “Gerard you know we can’t do that. Just fight it okay?”

     “Yea okay. Frankie I’m sorry.”

     “I’m sorry too Gerard.”

 

Alex doesn’t come back that night. Or the next day. I’m really worried about him. I can’t find him at all no matter what passages I roam. I’m going for another drowning lesson tonight. I head out into the passages to look for Alex again midmorning. I stop off at Mikey’s room and tell him all about Gee.

     “Fuck I knew that would happen. So did Ray. It’s a fucking drug. What do we do?” He asks, his face crumpling before me.

     “Fight?” we had all been thinking it but none of us really said it. Maybe because we couldn’t contact each other.

     Mikey looks so distressed, “but we’re all sick and weak and beaten up and shit. I am beginning to feel pain again. Only slightly but that is something. Can’t we wait till Ryan is better? He’s useful.”

     I nod, “yea, okay. I’ve got to go check on others.”

     Jaime is weird when I see him. Beaten up by the white coats but still as powerful as ever. Brendon has lost none of his powers and has been reflecting his mood on the weather. It rains constantly and the sky has been going from grey to black the longer he spends away from Ryan. Ashley is in girl form, refusing to change back because the Captain can’t touch any of his power as a girl. Kellin is back in his room spending a lot of his time posed as inanimate objects. I don’t even ask. Ray spends all his time rueing his powers for what it’s done to Gerard. Bob is silently pissed off at it all and has broken all the wires in the rooms he’s been in while slowing down time. Andy is still locked up and more pissed off than ever. He can’t wait to get out and “fuck the Captain up”.

     Vic is in the infirmary, pretending to be unconscious a lot and listening in to thoughts. He sends me messages straight from his mind when I’m in the passages. Images of Ryan usually. He’s getting better and so is Vic.

     I still can’t find Alex.

     “So Frank, how’re you doing?” the Captain says when I enter the water room.

    “Don’t try be fucking pleasant,” I growl.

    “What’s seriously confusing me is that thought, yes that one. You keep repeating _I’m not going to do what you say_. Yea, why not,” he muses and motions his white coats to forcefully undress me. They don’t put swim shorts on me. _Fuck_ I think _is he going to rape me_ I begin to panic.

     “I won’t rape you Frank,” he grins. “Just try get you drowning okay?” He motions me toward the tank. A white coat fastens the wires in place and I step naked into the tank. I don’t think I’ve felt so exposed since some kids pulled my pants while I was singing in a Christmas play in middle school and accidentally took my jocks with them.

     The water starts filling the tank and brain throbs seriously hard. It fuzzes more than before and I can’t keep my thoughts on track. I fucking pass out.

 

I wake in the infirmary. Its dark outside and not from Brendon’s pissed off weather. I try to sit up in the bed and my head throbs like a bitch.

     “Frank?” Ryan hisses from two beds down, over Vic’s sleeping body. His shadow casts a long black shadow over the grey wood.

     “Hey man how’re you feeling?” I moan sitting up.

     “Better,” he whispers, “how’re you you’ve been out since yesterday evening.”

     I groan, “The Captain drained me pretty hard. I couldn’t actually stop it.”

    Vic stirs and then his eyes fly open. “You’re awake! Dude I have something important to tell you yea… I saw a white coat think about Alex. He’s given in, man!”

     “What do you mean?” I demand, possibly a bit loud for the secret night time conferring at the infirmary.

     “Shh, yea it was,” Vic says. I miss the mind reading. “And yea, the Captain bribed him that five days of nonstop treatment and he could go home to Jack. No questions. It’s a lie obviously but he must have been desperate and we couldn’t stop him because we weren’t there.”

     I groan and sink back into the bed. _Alex you stupid motherfucker where are you._

“Oh he’s in a windowless chamber behind Gerard’s. I think. Can you not find a passage?” Vic says smiling from the bed.

     “I don’t know maybe. I couldn’t find it before…”

     “What will we do?” Ryan says behind Vic.

     “We’re all thinking the same thing but are we strong enough yet?” Vic muses up.

     “Tomorrow night we will. Jaime and Andy could do a lot of damage if we give them the scope, you know. Ryan you’re a pretty strong little bastard you can help fuck with them. Maybe we can just hold them off and escape on the food boat?” I suggest.

     “I’m all for the getting out of here but we’ll need to refine our plan,” Ryan says rubbing his face.

     “Yea, I know… what if we get help off the girl’s Island?” I suggest.

     Vic sees the two dinghies in my thoughts. “Why didn’t you mention them before?” he hisses.

     “What?” Ryan asks.

     “I never thought to use them before,” I state.

     “Use what?” Ryan asks again.

     “But of course they’d be useful! We can send Ashley and Kellin off posed as girls!”

     “Whaaaaaat?” Ryan demands. Vic looks over at him and his eyebrows shoot up. “Oh yea that would actually be helpful. Come on Frank.”

     I roll my eyes. “So tomorrow?”

     “Tomorrow.” The others agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also lyrics from Cubicles (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love) because why not


	8. We don't have to  stay, stay inside this place

It’s midnight. Time to put the plan into action. I had spent all yesterday trying to let everyone know the plan. I was still making it up as I went along and am at the stage where I just hope no one makes any serious mistakes. I dragged Vic through the passages and he sent the plan telekinetically to everyone but Gee and Alex.

     We sit at the edge of the infirmary beds waiting for the signal.

     Bob is on the roof and slows down time for everyone he can as much as he can. Ryan, Vic and I spring from the infirmary beds as soon as we notice the slowing down. It feels so fucking weird. I open the fire place and lead them along the small paths.

     I get Ray, Kellin and Ashley out and bring them down to the dinghies. They slip on the sludgy tunnel floor. Ray falls into the boat while the other two climb in with dignity looking like women... Kellin is disguised as Taylor Swift. Again, I don’t ask. His image flickers a bit from the draining but not too badly that it will catch more eyes than is expected. Ashley is his normal female self, stroking his own hair. Ray is going to hide when they reach land. He is supposed to wait for any white coats to appear and question Ash and Kellin and then confuse the fuck out of them with endorphins. They’re to get anyone of any use and bring them back as quick as possible. They row out at a good speed but the island is pretty far and the waters are about to get a lot more dangerous.

     Just as they get out a bit I see that Brendon has made it to the roof with Bob as a lightning storm kicks up. He has to be careful that he doesn’t make one that’ll be so fierce as to capsize the boats.

    Vic, Ryan and I run back up along tunnel. I send Ryan down the other darker path to free Andy. I have no idea how he’s going to do it but I know he’ll manage.

     Vic and I scale the ladder and by the noises in the halls the Captain has noticed everyone’s disappearance. Time is precious now as Bob loses his grip on the time slightly.

     I get Mikey from his room and send him and Vic to get Jaime. They’ll meet Ryan and Andy at the dining room. That’s as much as we have fully planned. We’re hoping the rest will just happen. I’m not sure what Vic is going to do because he’s not exactly built for combat.

     I run along the passages to get Gee. I have a double take at a path junction. There’s a scary drop I hadn’t noticed before an a ladder leading up to a vent. Not the way to go, I move on.

     My footsteps echo and the wall scrapes my hands as I feel my way through the dark. I can feel my heartbeat go almost back to normal. Well that’s without thinking about my exertion. Poor Bob. I burst into the passage where I last found Gerard. I’ve never been athletic. At all. But I suddenly feel a burst of energy that allows me to run the length of the passage at a speed I thought was reserved for athletes and cars and cheetahs and stuff.

     I skid to a stop and feel around for the thing that lets me into Gerard’s room.

     I clamber in on top of the bed as the passage closes. Gerard is standing by the door in horror with a white coat behind him, holding him in place. He points a gun to Gerard’s head.

     “You can’t kill him!” I blurt. “The Captain needs his powers!”

     “That’s true,” the white coat says slowly. Bob is still on the job but not slow enough that Gee will be able to dodge a bullet.

     The white coat turns and points the gun at me.

     It happens way faster than I could have believed possible. I dive left, Gerard shoves the white coat the opposite way and the gun is fired.

     The world goes white and again I think this is the end. They better play the misfits at my funeral. It really is over this time, isn’t it?

     But it’s not. Orange sparks and shattered glass fall to the floor. Andy’s broken the circuits.

     I’m lying on Gerard’s bed, my arm rife with a pain you can’t imagine. It’s like giving birth, or having your balls chopped off. I have a very bad pain tolerance… The bullet is buried somewhere in my left arm and it hurts more than anything I’ve ever experienced. Another shot goes off and a body thumps on the floor.

    “Gerard?” I wail, half in physical and half in emotional agony.

    “Yea?” the familiar voice calls back. The door opens and I see Gerard’s outline against the dim glow of the hall. “Shit man your arm. Let me wrap it up then we should really get out of here before more of them come,” he says sliding the gun out of the white coat’s hand. He sticks it in his belt.

     “I won’t let you die, okay Frank?” he walks over to me and wraps my arm up in a strip of black cloth. His eyes are glassy and his pupils wide. He’s high on Ray’s power but not too much because he seems to be functioning like a normal human.

     The hall is empty and the “back up” lights are glowing orange along the walls. The window at the end of the hall shows the lightning outside flashing wildly.

     “What’re we doing?” Gee slurs.

     I don’t answer just run to the next door. I throw it open, no Alex. He’s not in the next one either. I pull on the one after that. Locked.

     “Gerard, search that white coat for keys.”

     Gee staggers back to me after a few too many seconds with keys. Of course it’s the last on the loop. Alex is huddled in the corner, knees tucked up. “Frank?”

     “Hey Alex, what the fuck do you think you are doing giving in?” I demand pulling him up.

     “I… I wanted to go back to Jack. I’m almost cured…” he mumbles as he stumbles after me out the door.

     “Don’t say cured! You wouldn’t be going home anyway. Now we need to get you out of the way.” I pull Gerard and Alex after me into the passages and slide run around a bit, crawl a bit and the slide down to the ground level. Being taller than me Alex and Gerard are bent over all the way.

 

The dining room is now on fire. Fucking Jaime. He and Andy aren’t there. There’s bodies on the ground but all dressed in white. I open the windows to let storm rain enter to try douse the flames. Gerard looks a little more sane now but incredibly sombre.

     Alex throws a chair out into the rain and it slowly goes out. I know I should continue after the others. They’re making their way up to the Captain’s biggest and safest room, the only treatment room in this building, where no doubt he will be. I have no idea what Vic’s doing. Probably trying to pinpoint the Captain’s whereabouts or fuck with people’s minds with Ryan. Bob must be exhausted now. He has all but brought us back to normal timing. I turn toward the massive oak table that’s in flames.

     “We need to get this out or the building will go up,” I state and start pushing it with a chair in the direction of the open double doors. “I can’t move it on my own!”

     Gerard and Alex grab pieces of not on fire furniture and start shoving the table toward the open double doors. It’s such a fucking slow process. By the time the table is half out the door the door frame is badly blackened but not on fire and our pieces of furniture are scorched to fuck.

     We slide them out the door along the table and go in search of more. Alex shoves using the fire grate, Gerard with a different chair and me with a long lamp I found in the hall. The table is so engulfed in flames that I honestly worry for Alex’s eyebrows.

     When it’s finally out in the rain we get to work on patting out the door frame and flinging chairs and sideboards out into the grounds too. Just as the last chair is out the backup power goes. My arm is throbbing and stinging all at once. It hurts like a bitch but the adrenaline keeps me going.

     “Fuck it Andy!” I spit and run out side into the rain. I grab a chair leg that’s still on fire at the top and bring it inside. The room is lit with flickering orange light once again.

    Gee does the same. Alex is hesitant. “I don’t know how brilliantly that’ll work…” he says.

     “It’ll get us to the others,” I say, “And that’s important now.”

     Alex nods slowly. “Okay but what’ll I do?”

     I look at Gerard and Alex in the flickering gloom. “Gerard’s powers may be of use. Alex yours won’t, you’ll need to either do something helpful or get your ass up to the roof.”

     “Let me help. I’ve seriously fucked things up so let me help,” he looks pleadingly, “I’ll put out any fires in the halls?”

     “Yea okay…” I agree. “Get that big rug from the lobby and smother them.”

     He nods and runs into the lobby. When he’s back, struggling under the weight of a large antique rug, I lead us off in search of the others.

 

In the stairway that leads off from the dining room we find bodies littering the floor. The most disturbing bit is a lot aren’t dead. They’re rocking back and forth staring at something the centre of the small floor before the stairs. The couch along the wall is in flames.

     “Ryan can do the scariest fucking shit for such a cute little guy,” Gerard whispers from my left. I nod vacantly, entranced by the staring faces.

     Alex runs over and smothers the couch fire. We walk gingerly around the entranced bodies. We then run up the stairs and find the path blocked by burning bodies. The smell is grotesque. Alex wretches and Gerard shudders.

     Alex throws the rug over a patch in front of us. The rug is at an unsafe temperature and the fear that it will catch fire is always there. The ground feels unsteady but there’s stone passageways beneath so I know we won’t die from a serious drop.

    Alex pulls up the carpet after a few minutes and burns his hands badly. We’re currently all burnt to hell. He throws it forward and it lands on another patch if bodies and flaming rug. We take a few steps forward, dodging blackened corpses.

     “I’m going to be sick,” Gerard says stepping up behind Alex as he attempts to put out another patch of burning miscellaneous.

     “Yea me too,” I mumble

     I hope this will all be over soon. Bob has probably passed out with the effort of what feels like an hour but was probably only twenty minutes. Brendon in sending torrential rain in the direction of the building while keeping the seas calm. I hope they’ve reached “Chick Island” as Ashley put it so eloquently.

     We walk out of the fire and see a door open to the right. I push it slightly and a scene of fire and electricity is flying around. Ryan is lying on the floor bleeding but alive. He’s concentrating very hard, probably on keeping disturbing images in the view of the white coats we’d seen. He must have an iron stomach. Jaime is sending fire at the Captain who is standing on a table on the opposite side. Andy has bad burns on his bare arms and he is sending electric bolts at the captain and pulling away from Jaime the ones the Captain throws back. Mikey is pulling a body away from the fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "We don't have to stay, stay inside this place" is a fitting title i think from the song This Is The Best Day Ever (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	9. We've only got one chance to put this at an end

“Vic!” Alex cries from behind me in the doorway. Jaime, I see now is crying. Alex shoves me out of the way to run for Vic. Mikey jumps up and blocks a bolt of electricity aimed at Alex. He winces. He said he was beginning to feel pain again so all that electricity must hurt like a bitch. “Alex,” he grunts, “Get out we don’t need you.”

     Alex looks distressed and insulted. “Let me take Vic out too at least,” his voice breaks.

     Mikey sighs which turns into a groan as another bolt of electricity hits him in the back. “Andy for fuck sake,” he spits.

     “Sorry!” Andy calls as he pulls another bolt away directed at me.

     I throw my flaming chair leg toward Jaime and pull Gee and Alex back out the door into the hall of burning bodies. The sight that will never not be disturbing. A few minutes later Mikey appears carrying the limp body of Vic. Alex bursts into tears then.

     “Not fair,” he whimpers, “it’s just not fucking fair.”

     Mikey lays his body on the floor where it’s not burning or smoldering. Alex crumples down beside him, his body shaking with and his head in his hands. I feel my own eyes begin to well up with tears. My confidence and adrenaline disperses and my arm begins to hurt again. It’s like the emotional pain reminds my arm that it hurts. Like being hurt in one way is never enough for a body with self-destructive tendencies.

    Gerard is biting his lip and looking up at his younger, taller brother. “Mikey… are you… you okay?”

     Mikey shakes his head. His eyes have tears in them too. His shirt is scorched so badly that it’s a miracle that it’s still on at all. “We can’t kill him Gerard. He’s got enough of Andy’s power that he can let electricity run through him and out of him without it killing him, enough of Jaime’s that fire has no effect at all. And just enough of mine that a bullet does nothing.”

     I peer around the corner and settle my eyes on the Captain. Horrified I see bullet wounds in his legs arms and stomach. “This is fucking scary,” I say. His shirt is scorched and his body badly burned.

     “We find Ray’s power can’t be used when he’s struck by electricity or hit with fire. I think when you’re hit with electricity your endorphins just do their job. Science or something. It’s like he can only use one power at a time too,” Mikey informs. “So he can’t attack with Ray’s and not get killed by electricity at the same time. Anytime I try get Andy and Jaime to hit at once they have to stop and save the other. Jaime can handle fire being thrown at him but Andy can’t. Andy can deal with a bolt of electricity to the face but Jaime can’t. They’re saving each other’s skin as much as fighting him.”

     I nod. I think I know what the only answer is then. I look up at Gerard, he knows too.

     “I’ll find my way up to that glass box…” Gerard mumbles. “You’ll have to get him close enough to me that I can get a clear shot. It takes a lot to drain every memory and thought ever…” he turns around and starts off across the path of not burning bodies. “You’ll also need to put this out!” he calls gesturing to the flames on either side.

    Alex, still bent over Vic mumbles, “I’ll do it…”

    “Mikey,” I say looking into the battle room. “Any way you could get Ryan out. He’s alive and when the Captain notices he probably won’t stay that way.”

    “Yea sure, okay,” he steps into the room and to steps in he gets hit by a fist of fire. It would look really cool if it wasn’t the thing that was going to kill one of us. “For fuck sake, do your fucking job guys or I’m leaving,” he yells, “I know you’re tired we’re all fucking tired, but fire and electricity hurts!”

    Andy and Jaime toss him apologetic glances and catch the next attacks and fling them back.

     Moments later Mikey appears holding Ryan in his arms. He lies Ryan down at Vic’s feet. “I’m going to try help now,” Mikey mumbles unsteadily.

     Alex stands up and picks up the big antique carpet. He starts putting out fires as his lips tremble and his body shudders. I knew Alex and Vic were close. So were Jaime and Vic. And Kellin and Vic. Fuck, everyone liked Vic. His death will leave a big black mark on everyone’s life. Fuck it I really liked Vic and I feel my eyes let go of the tears they’d been building.

     I go over and kneel next to Ryan. “You’re doing great dude,” I whisper.

     “You fucking bet I am. Fuck this hurts…” he croaks. He has burns all down his right side and a bullet wound in his thigh. “I just want to sleep forever.”

     “Not yet. You’re almost finished but just keep it up.”

     “I will… Fuck oww, okay go do something Frank.”

     I nod and walk to the door. This could be the best idea yet or the worse.

     I stroll in to the room.

     Mikey is wincing in the centre of the room, flinging himself in the way of a bolt of electricity meant for Jaime. “Frank, what the fuck are you doing?!” he yells.

      “I’m not sure,” I admit. Andy is on his knees but still fighting strong. Jaime is on fire but seemingly okay. I never thought I’d see a guy, in flames and doing just fine. Nothing here is fucking normal I’ve come to notice.

      “Hi Frankie,” the Captain says cheerily while absorbing a bolt of lightning from the window and aiming it at Jaime. Andy pulls it toward him and sends it directly at the Captain’s burnt face. The Captain doesn’t challenge this one terribly well and his whole body shakes momentarily. Jaime takes advantage of this momentary weakness and sends all the fire from his skin directly at the Captain. His hair catches fire and his face contorts in pain.

     “Frank, you’re sort of distracting me. Will you not kill one of them for me to make up for it,” he cackles, proper fucking witch laughter, and sends the flames directly at the floor by Andy. Andy jumps up and steps around it. He, strangely casually, walks towards the Captain and away from the fire. I follow him.

     “Frank…” Mikey warns.

     “Shh Mikey, I’m just going to stretch my legs,” I say and the Captain wriggles with laughter.

     I glance up and see the orange light of a fiery chair leg suddenly fill the room. I duck and cover my head as shots go off and the glass shatters. Flakes of the boxes wall flutter down around me, a piece cutting my hand and another cutting my back. The rest just lands about on the floor.

     “Hi Gerard!” the Captain waves then sends a fist of fire out to punch Gee. Jaime catches it with ease and pulls it right back into the Captains face.

     Andy throws a glance at me before surging every watt of electricity at his disposal directly at the Captain. Jaime joins in and sends every single flame in his direction. A bolt of lightning flashes outside. Andy pulls it in the window and hits the Captain from behind.

     He falls to his knees and cries out. He picks himself up and flings everything at Gee. Andy and Jaime pull it back and shoot it at him.

     This cycle goes on for a few minutes. Gee tries to start soaking up his memories but every time he begins his concentration is broken by electricity and fire being directed at him. “Okay stop!” I exclaim at last. “Just stop giving him stuff he can use to target Gerard!”

     Andy nods and extends his arms, drawing sparks from everywhere. He starts shaking then, full of all the Island’s electricity. The room is still a flickering orange when Jaime starts pulling all the fire he can towards himself. The Captain attempts to drag some out of the orbit of Jaime but fails. He may have some of Jaime’s powers but not enough that he is stronger. Fire drifts in from the hall in patches of burning wood and other things I don’t want to think about. Flaming tongues that had tasted the corpses of white coats. I shudder.

     The orange lights dance around Jaime entrancingly. The Captain continues to try steal some when he is knocked to the floor. He starts gasping, his mouth open and his eyes rolling to the back of his head. He reaches a hand out in Gerard’s direction.

    The Captain’s face contorts and then relaxes.

    My attention is so focused on the Captain lying on the floor gurgling that I don’t notice what’s happening above me. Gerard is on his back laughing in lunacy. Then he starts rolling. Mikey runs toward him but it’s too late. Gerard rolls off the platform and laughing, falls. This isn’t falling the length of a ceiling to floor. This is breaking glass with your head and falling two room’s height down onto your front, flat, no catching yourself.

     Mikey makes it there seconds too late. Gerard hadn’t so much fallen as dragged the floor up to meet his embrace.

      “No!” I shout, ever too late, and run after Mikey. Andy sends all his electricity out the window and into the stormy night. Jaime directs the fire out the window too where it promptly goes out, leaving smoking debris to fall to the ground a story bellow.

     I reach Gerard and throw myself down next to him. Mikey turns him over. His pupils have completely cancelled out his irises as far as I can see. It’s seriously dark now all the fire’s been sent away.

     In the dark I can see the white of his teeth. He’s grinning despite falling face first from two floors, though he is unconscious. I feel his chest to verify that he is breathing. Hid breaths are short and uneven. Gasps almost, but I’m not going to think of it like that. He has a cut along his forehead and his old wounds have been reopened. He looks so beaten up and yet he’s smiling like a lunatic. I guess that’s what he is at this moment, a lunatic.

     He’s bleeding quite heavily now. From his arms, head and torso where he crashed through the pieces of glass that he just rolled through. My eyes leave his face and scan his body. Seeing his foot I gasp incredibly loudly. It’s bent in the complete wrong way. His arm is also bent in a very wrong way.

     “He’s losing blood,” Mikey seethes, “He’s losing blood and his breaths are all wrong! Someone get some cloth or something!”

     Seconds later Alex comes running in, stripping off his t-shirt and throws it to Mikey who balls it up and presses it to his forehead and temple. The black cloth is even darker immediately and I can see in the faint light that Mikey’s hands are slowly being soaked in his brother’s blood.

    Outside light very vaguely begins to grow and as the sunrise covers the sky with grey light, Gerard covers the floor in blood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so sorry about Vic... Honestly it wasn't planned... It just kinda happened... Chapter title from Our Lady Of Sorrows (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love)


	10. But would anything mater if you're already dead.

We were all so busy looking at Gerard no one noticed the grown man crawling around the room. He sits in one corner and starts crying. We all turn around and see the Captain bawling his eyes out. The sound is shrill and loud, like a baby’s. _Oh my fucking god_ I think _Gerard had taken every memory he had back to being a baby…_ I furrow my brow looking over at him. Andy walks over to him and whispers “shut the fuck up.”

    The Captain goes silent staring up at Andy through tear-filled eyes.

    Alex leaves the room and comes back with Ryan in arms, passed out from the exhaustion of his task. He lays Ryan down beside gee and the rips his shirt off to use as another cloth to soak Gee’s blood.

     The room is a bright grey when I hear footsteps in the hall. Jaime and Andy are on their feet and ready to attack with nothing…

     “Vic!” a high pitched voice cries and the shape of a small feminine dude rushes past the door. The guys are back from “Chick Island”.

     Brendon and Bob stumble into the room followed by Ray and Ashley and a half a dozen girls all looking vaguely traumatized. Probably the fault of the corpse littered corridor.

     “Is that Ryan?” Brendon croaks rushing over to us.

     “It is but he’s alive. Just worn out from using his powers so much. And he’s been badly burnt,” Mikey says.

     Brendon kneels down next to Ryan and stares down onto his sleeping face.

     “Is that the Captain?” Bob grumbles and everyone’s attention turns the man crying and rocking in the corner.

     “Yea…” Jaime says, “Gerard stole all his memories back to him being a baby.”

     “Where is Gerard?” Ray says. Mikey and I lean back giving the newcomers a clear view of Gerard lying down out cold.

     “Oh shit,” Bob and Ray murmur and they join us by his side. “Is he… alive?” Bob asks at last.

     “For now,” Mikey says gravely.

     “What’s wrong with him?” A blonde girl with a nose ring asks from the back of the group of girls.

     “He’s broken limbs… Lost a lot of blood… Is concussed… His head is split open…” My voice betrays me. The more I try to calm it the wobblier it gets and the last sentence was probably intelligible.

     “I can close the wounds and set the bones but for the loss of consciousness and blood I can’t really do anything,” she says stepping through the others.                   

     We beckon her over and she takes my place by Gee. She runs a finger along his forehead over and over, caressing the wound. Slowly it begins to close over and heal a little. The bleeding from his head has stopped a while but he still has lost a lot of blood. The girl rests her palms on his temple and the back of his head and when she lifts them I see that the fibres of the skin are knitting back together. I would say it looks fucking wrong but after last night everything looks slightly more right.

     She moves her hands to his arm and bends it back in the right direction. “My name is Jenna,” she says holding his arm in place. After a few seconds we hear a disturbing grinding noise and then something with the texture of silk. After about a minute Jenna moves around and fixes his ankle in place.

     We are all quiet and scrutinizing Jenna’s work. The group of girls had slowly and awkwardly sat down. They were all clothed in black rags. Every item was actually made for a guy so it was too loose or tight on everyone. They all looked thin and tired. It only just hit me that Ashley is amongst them.

     Just as Jenna goes to heal Ryan’s wounds Kellin comes stumbling in, face tear streaked and eyes red. He walks straight from the double door frame to the Captain sitting, sulking in a corner.

     “Kellin…” Jaime warns but Kellin takes no heed and reaches down to the Captain dragging him out of the corner. In the middle of the room he begins to kick the shit out of him. The Captain starts crying loud and shrill like a baby. Kellin gets two or three kicks in before Andy’s dragging him away.

     “He killed Vic!” Kellin wails thrashing against Andy’s arms. Andy is over a head taller than Kellin in this form and a hell of a lot stronger.

     “I know Kellin, I know I saw,” Andy holds him and tries to calm him. Within seconds the room had gone from silent mourning to shrieks, cries and whispers. Jenna is finished healing the wounds and goes over to sit with the girls. After a lot of struggling Kellin goes limp and falls to the floor, sobbing softly. We all go silent again.

    

It’s about midday when Ryan wakes up. He sits up straight, insisting that he’s okay now. Brendon and Ryan sit tight together, not really caring that people can see. Something tells me everyone new already.

     “I’m hungry,” Jaime says after a while. “Who wants to help me bring food up here or get the bodies down stairs?” Everyone winces at the word bodies.

     Mikey, Bob, Ray, Alex and I stay while the rest attempt to get downstairs. Apparently the floor is unstable thanks to all the fire. Jaime apologises for not picking up the fire but the heat of the battle was too distracting. We all excuse his shitty pun.

     Gerard sleeps so peacefully. His breaths are shaky but even, his heart beats, however, are not. He looks pale and fragile and I just wish he’d fucking wake up.

    “What will we do with the Captain?” Alex asks, gesturing to the man baby in the corner, taking a nap. He still has creepy bullet wounds in his stomach.

     I shake my head, “I have no idea. We can’t kill him.”

     “Why not?”

     “Because it would be like killing a baby. Plus I think he has enough of your powers Mikey that he can’t be killed,” I furrow my brow, “We could put him in an institute?”

     “Yea lets,” Ray says, “He’ll need constant watching so that he doesn’t burn houses down and stuff.”

     We all nod in agreement.

     The day is slipping away and I’m beginning to feel hungry. I wish the others would return with food already.

     I’m leaning into Mikey and staring out the shattered windows when I hear the first groan.

     All of our attention is caught and simultaneously our heads snap down. Gerard’s parted lips twitch. Another groan.

     “Gee? You okay Gee?” Mikey says calmly even though his whole body is shaking. I get why, when he wakes Gerard is going to have every memory the Captain ever did as if they were his own and that’s bound to fuck with a person’s head.

      Gerard’s mouth twitches again and his eyes move behind their lids. Suddenly everyone’s sitting up straighter, alert and ready to do something. Not sure what that is but when the time comes we’ll be ready.

     “Frankie…” a groan comes from somewhere buried deep in his throat.

     “I’m here Gee,” I’m not sure what else to say.

     “I know Frank, I dreamt about you…” His eyelids flutter but don’t remain closed. His fingers close and open.

     “I’m tired,” he groans, “and I feel weird.”

     “Want to sit up, bro?” Mikey asks. Gee nods and squints his eyes once before opening them.

     “What the fuck…” he mumbles staring directly up at the ceiling. He pulls himself up to sitting and stares out the window. “What the fuck…” he repeats.

     “What?” we all chirp. The general mood has lifted since Gee proved to be alive.

     “I can see,” he says shocked.

     “You were never blind…” Bob replies, confused.

     “No, no, not blind but like normal eyesight. Now I can see far.”

     Everyone’s face drops and search parties will have to set off to find Ray’s eyebrows which have risen into his hair.

     “Can you hear our thoughts?” Alex asks, seemingly okay with Gerard having his power.

     Gerard furrows his brow and looks contemplative for a minute. “Yes… Oh… Yes, yes I can.”

     We all exchange looks. “Gerard, what do you remember…? I mean do you remember everything that’s happened to the Captain?” I ask looking him in the eye.

     His face drops. “I’m so confused now…”

     “What?” we chorus.

     “I’m so confused, I remember you like me Frankie as much as I liked you and I remember you hating me and I remember you liking me and I didn’t like you… What is real?”

    “You took all the Captain’s memories,” Mikey explains.

    “I’m Gerard Way…” we nod, “so… uh… that memories mine, and that’s not?” two images pop up at the same time, one of him shooting the white coat and one of him electrocuting Vic. I shudder, both are so graphic.

     “Yes,” Ray says, his voice wobbly.

     Before we could say more the rest of our company pile in with armfuls of food.

     “You’re awake!” Brendon smiles.

     Gee nods and then squints. “It’s so busy…” he mumbles. “So many thoughts…”

     Kellin’s head shoots up. “When he took the Captain’s memories he took his abilities too or something,” Alex explains.

     “I just took whatever I could,” Gerard explains.

     Everyone looks kind of uncomfortable for a while, then we start to eat.

 

We decide to leave the island that day. Everyone just gathered up what they thought would be anyway useful. We buried Vic in an old creepy graveyard in the woods where the previous owners of the island rest. Mikey had stumbled across it when he first arrived. The rest of the bodies were dragged cremated in the gardens and their ashes were spread through the wind. The white coats who were still alive agreed not to try anything in return for not being cremated. Logical.

     We’re all on the ferry that was used to carry food and people I think. We’re off to “Chick Island” to gather everyone else and then head to mainland America.

     I’m standing at the railing looking out at the island, so beautiful it would be if it weren’t for all the shit that’s happened there.

     As we begin to leave the dock Gerard walks over to me, “I haven’t lived out there in two years. I have no life where we’re going now. And with all this extra power… I guess life won’t have any aspect of normality will it?”

     “You can live with me,” I find myself saying. The island starts shrinking now. All I can see is a lump of earth blocking my view of the pink sky. “Anyway you’ll never be fucking normal because nobody is fucking normal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So its finished... Let me know what you think and thanks for reading it all it means a lot to me <3 i can't believe it's finished it just feels like the end of a long story... I dunno... Song lyrics from Early Sunsets Over Monroeville (i brought you my bullets you brought me your love) inspired chapter title :)


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